FAQ

Do I have to take the old coat off to re-apply a new coat ?

No - RAIN RACER™ does not build up or overlap so will only bond microscopically to untreated areas. It self-seals creating a monomolecular film so thin that it has to measured in nanometres (read next question).

What is monomolecular and what is a nanometre ?

Monomolecular is a film one molecule thick. The thickness of the RAIN RACER™ film is measured in nanometres. To understand a nanometre - One nanometre is one billionth of a meter (10 hydrogen atoms are 1 nanometres wide and a human hair is 200,000 nanometres).

Q.

Does RAIN RACER™ work on plastics ?

RAIN RACER™ bonds naturally to glass and ceramic surfaces, it only bonds to approximately 50% of plastics. As there are hundreds of variety's of plastics we therefore recommend the user tests a small inconspicuous area for it's compatibility with each plastic surface they wish to use it on.

Q.

Does the coating discolour over a period of time or in strong sunlight ?

No - RAIN RACER™ has been tested on commercial shipping that frequently cross the equator

What is the shelf life of the RAIN RACER™ polymer ?

Q.

Does the coating come off with normal washing ?

No - Occasional washing with detergent and rinsing with clean water will simply restore and rejuvenate the RAIN RACER™ self cleaning effect.

When using a bath or shower tray coated with RAIN RACER™ ,will it be slippery ?

Will RAIN RACER™  help on the grouting of my ceramic tiles ?

Although RAIN RACER™ does not bond to the grouting as it does on the glazed surface. The water will bead on a coated surface, In between every water bead is bone dry. When using the shower water beads up and jump the tiles. When you have finished apart from the odd water bead the tile will be bone dry, Less moisture means less mould. Untreated surfaces remain wet in a film across the entire surface area of the tile. When you finish this water will end up in the grouting allowing mould, mildew and fungi to grow.

Q.

Will burnishing gel remove limescale ?

No - The burnishing gel cleans and neutralises the surface to make it ready to apply the polymer coating, so that the surface is free of pollution and other cleaning agents such as limescale removers - Read next question

Q.

How can I remove normal limescale without damaging my bathroom suite ?

A.

Limescale removers are available from every supermarket or hardware store, Most types are chemicals, acids etc These are very corrosive and their instructions must be adhered to as they are harmful to humans. The other problem is that they can easily remove and permanently damage the vitreous glaze surface in your bathroom, used with caution and according to manufacturers instructions they will be fine.

However as an alternative, silica-paste type products (like ASTONISH or KLIN) are non-toxic. Can be used without rubber gloves. These products are among a handful of products that carry the "Vitreous enamel development council seal of approval" and will remove lime scale without damaging the surfaces. These products come in a small tub and are not expensive to buy from supermarkets and hardware stores. Click Here to find a list of suitable cleaners on the institute of vitreous enamellers website. Please read the Read next question for more information - also for further information on vitreous enamel see the IVE website

Q.

How can I remove hard and encrusted limescale ?

Please read our Removing encrusted limescale and mineral deposits page click Here for step by step instructions with pictures.

Why do I have to use a white top scourer ?

The top of a any foam back scourer sold in supermarkets, hard ware stores are colour coded white and green. The white top scourers are non abrasive and are made for glass, Pyrex, Teflon and plastics. The green top scourers are abrasive - generally used for cast iron saucepan's, baking trays and ovens etc and they will scratch glass.

Why, How and what makes RAIN RACER™ have anti microbial properties

When you change the surface microscopically with RAIN RACER™ two things occur . First - RAIN RACER™ produces a super hydrophobic surface, it slows the growth of microbial contamination (bacteria/fungi etc) by reducing the surface sites for micro organisms to grow. Second - because the surface is super hydrophobic whenever normal routine cleaning and rinsing with clean water occurs - micro organisms become trapped inside the water beads with surface tension, rolling it off the surface leaving the surface hygienically clean and totally dry - Therefore the surface is naturally oxygenated - Read next question

How would anti-microbial properties benefit me in my home ?

Several thousand years ago man learnt how to make glazed pottery (Early vitreous surface). This better surface although very basic - for the first time improved hygiene for ancient man, storage jars, bowls and plates etc. Remember there were no supermarkets to buy washing up liquid, bleach and disinfectants etc. However simply by washing immediately after use with plain water and allowed to air dry. These early basic glazed hydrophobic surfaces reduced bacteria and fungi, improving the health of mankind.

The key to remember here is not detergent or bleach but the actual surface, plain clean water and allowed to air dry. When food particles of blood, fruit and vegetable juice etc were left on the plate, they would dry and stick. In order to remove them they would rub the surface with grass, leaves, soil or sand and then rinse with "plain water".

Since those times man's love of ceramic and vitreous surfaces have expanded from the kitchen in to the bathroom including the toilet pan bowl. With your crockery, unless you like the taste of washing up liquid. The detergent should be rinsed away with clean water. Detergents also cause streaks and smears on glass, Pyrex, vitreous and ceramic surfaces unless they are washed off. The same applies when you use bleach and disinfectants. These were originally designed to kill smells and germs coming out of the drain holes they should also be rinsed away with clean water.

Conclusion:

The key to a dinner plate being hygienically clean so that you may eat your food on it, is not how much bleach, disinfectant or washing up liquid that you use. It is the last thing that comes into contact with the plate before it's air dried, which is the " water from your tap ". Water is known to have the greatest solvent properties on the planet. It is also a known fact that most bacteria that cause problems either travel in water or are water born bacteria.

Every surface in your kitchen and bathroom coated with super hydrophobic RAIN RACER™ - After a simple wash and rinse, is clean enough to eat your dinner on and even more importantly will stay that way for longer !

That is anti microbial hygiene at it's best. - Read next question

What evidence is there to validate better anti - microbial activity ?

This simple test was repeated time and time again with typical results each time. The entire surface of a second-hand used ceramic tile was thoroughly cleaned and then was half treated with RAIN RACER™. After washing again and rinsing with clean tap water it was left to air dry at room temperature. Using a bio-trace® luminometer (It measures all living organisms on a surface) on a RAIN RACER™ treated surface produced an average reading of 69 where the un-treated surface produced an average of 242. For food or drink preparation the acceptable maximum limit is 500, after which the surface must be cleaned. For more information see the bio-trace® technical resources.